Also an Octopus


Maggie Tokuda-Hall - 2016
    What happens next is up to you! A delightfully meta picture book that will set imaginations soaring.It begins with an octopus who plays the ukulele. Since this is a story, the octopus has to want something—maybe to travel to faraway galaxies in a totally awesome purple spaceship. Then the octopus sets out to build a spaceship out of soda cans, glue, umbrellas, glitter, and waffles. OK, maybe the octopus needs some help, like from an adorable bunny friend, and maybe that bunny turns out to be . . . a rocket scientist? (Probably not.) But could something even more amazing come to pass? Debut author Maggie Tokuda-Hall, with the help of illustrator Benji Davies, sets up an endearingly funny story, then hands the baton to readers, who will be more than primed to take it away.

The Long, Long Line


Tomoko Ōmura - 2009
    Each animal is clearly numbered and named and readers will delight in counting the animals and choosing their favorites.Finally, it's time to board the ride! Through a revealing gatefold spread, readers discover the ride is a giant whale roller coaster! As the whale spins, dips, dives, and splashes, all the animals have too much fun. When the ride ends, the animals can't wait to line up again — just as readers won't be able to wait to read The Long, Long Line again and again!

Ladybug Girl


David Soman - 2008
    Her dog, Bingo the basset hound, is always by her side and the two prove that they are not too little to explore nature, build forts, and make their own big fun.For fans of Fancy Nancy and Toot and Puddle, the Ladybug Girl series honors individuality, creativity, and a love of the outdoors!

On Account of the Gum


Adam Rex - 2020
    She doesn't? Try the fire department!With each page turn, this situation—relatable to any family—grows stickier and more desperate.• A wonderful blend of light wordplay, zany humor, and a timeless topic• Perfect for fans of The Day the Crayons Quit and If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't!• Great gift for parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and educators who are looking for a funny, relatable tale to read out loud• Add it the the shelf with books like We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt, and The Bad Seed by Jory John.

My Cat Looks Like My Dad


Thao Lam - 2019
    Both have orange hair, love milk, start their days with stretches, appreciate a good nap, and are brave (some of the time). The narrator is more like Mom, with wild hair, blue eyes, and a love of dancing.A surprising twist at the end reveals the narrator's unexpected identity, also hinted at with clues in the art throughout the book. Warmth and whimsy in the illustrations add a playful balance to the story's deeper message about the love that makes a family a unit, no matter how unusual it may look from the outside.

Charlotte the Scientist Is Squished


Camille Andros - 2017
    She solves important problems by following the scientific method. She has all the right equipment: protective glasses, a lab coat, a clipboard, and a magnifying glass. What she doesn’t have is space. She has so many brothers and sisters (she is a rabbit, after all) that she is too squished to work on her experiments! Can she use science to solve her problem? This funny, satisfying story is a playful introduction to the scientific method and perfect for sparking an interest in STEM subjects.

The Insomniacs


Karina Wolf - 2012
    Insomniac's new job, the family has an impossible time adapting to the change. They try everything to fall asleep at night--take hot baths, count to one thousand, sip mugs of milk--but nothing helps. Venturing out into the dark, they learn there is a whole world still awake and a beauty in their new and unconventional schedule.Ideal for bedtime reading, this gorgeous and lyrical story celebrates nighttime's mystery and magic.

How to Grow a Dinosaur


Jill Esbaum - 2018
    And when the baby finally hatches? He's too little to play! He mostly screeches, eats, burps, sleeps, and poops. He doesn't even know he's a dinosaur! That's where you come in. You can teach the baby just about everything--from peek-a-boo to roaring to table manners to bedtime. Growing a dinosaur is a big job, but you're perfect for it. Why? Because one thing your baby brother wants more than anything . . . is to be just like you.With silly kid-humor and sincere, moving moments, this new-sibling book is a perfect combination of funny, reassuring, and truly useful. It captures the excitement and joy of getting to guide a little brother or sister through life, and uses big laughs, great surprises, and gentle lessons to empower kids in how to be a great sibling and role-model to littler ones. Great for family reading and reading aloud.

Extraordinary Jane


Hannah E. Harrison - 2014
    She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes. Ordinary can be extraordinary!

I Hate My Cats (A Love Story)


Davide Calì - 2018
    She plays with peas, purrs at artichokes, and has a strange fondness for chicken (but only the neighbor's chicken). Then there's Fred. His greatest talent? Sleeping. Oh, and hiding. And when he's not hiding, he's conspiring with Ginger to destroy the house! Such is life with cats. . . can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em—if you love them, that is. And yet the question remains: Why are these captivating creatures so marvelously maddening?! From internationally bestselling author Davide Cali, this humorous picture book about a cat owner and his beguiling felines celebrates quirky cat companions, impurrfections and all.

I'll Love You Till the Cows Come Home


Kathryn Cristaldi - 2018
    For fans of Guess How Much I Love You—only funnier!This book extends the saying, “I’ll love you till the cows come home” to the humorous extreme. Along the way there are yaks in cadillacs, sheep setting sail, frogs on big-wheeled bikes, and more, in this great read-aloud.I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home is filled with warm, funny art and rhythmic, romping text, perfect for curling up with your little one at the end of the day...or anytime you want to express your love.

Lambslide


Ann Patchett - 2019
    When they can’t spot one, there’s only one thing to do: take a vote!Ann Patchett and Robin Preiss Glasser have collaborated for the first time to create a book that is an absolute riot! Children and adults will enjoy this sidesplitting play on words as they too anxiously wait to hear the election results: Will the lambs ever get to slide down a lambslide?

I Don't Want to Be a Frog


Dev Petty - 2015
    A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn’t so bad after all.

The Octopuppy


Martin McKenna - 2013
    He's determined to train his new puppy. Sit. Stay. Fetch. What could go wrong? It's just that Edgar's dog happens to be an octopus. A particularly brilliant octopus at that. Meet Jarvis. Edgar's life is about to change forever.

Hattie and the Fox


Mem Fox - 1986
    Not the goose, not the pig, not the sheep, not the horse, not the cow. Time and again Hattie tries to warn her friends of danger, but no one listens -- until it's almost too late!